


so tell me, do you love someone?

by end_thistragedy



Category: One Direction (Band), Zayn Malik (Musician)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-08-09 20:28:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7816057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/end_thistragedy/pseuds/end_thistragedy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>So the thing is, Niall's never been so utterly captivated by anyone.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	so tell me, do you love someone?

**Author's Note:**

> title from grouplove's do you love someone

* * *

The start of semester party is Zayn's so it's a month and a half into classes, mildly tame, and exclusive enough to the point that when Niall arrives after convincing his manager to let him loose early, he's very clearly the last to arrive.

He finds Harry sitting against the wall with his legs extended haphazardly in front of him.

He hasn't seen him since the very last day of last semester, when Harry'd wrapped his arms around him outside of the student house they'd lived in for two semesters, and kissed him full on the lips before climbing into his car and driving away.

He'd spent the entire summer texting and snapping random unimportant shit back and forth and not mentioning it and Harry had done the same to the point where Niall was sure he'd imagined the whole thing.

So the thing is, Niall's never been so utterly captivated by anyone.

The sight of Harry dressed in his ratty old Stones tshirt, his hair messy like he's been relentlessly running his hand through it all night, kind of makes Niall want to turn around and hightail it the hell out of there---out of the party, out of the university, out of the country. His Ma'll appreciate the visit. And he barely calls.

Harry's toying with a Polaroid camera, lips shiny and smiling, eyes sparkling as he tilts his head up to talk to someone Niall surprisingly doesn't actually know.

His chest feels tight, his palms sweaty and he wants to laugh hysterically at how much of an idiot he's being. Maybe he'll eventually get used to Harry's entire existence, but that sure as hell won't be tonight.

He realizes he's definitely been staring, and gathers enough bravery to approach him. He doesn't know a normal human being way to get Harry's attention, so he kicks his foot.

"Hey you."

Harry rolls his head back, looking up and his eyes are a sight Niall hadn't really been prepared for, hadn't expected the way they widen slightly at the recognition and somehow start to shine even brighter.

And that was--he really hadn't--

But Harry raises the camera up to his eyes and Niall has no time to prepare or get a goddamn grip over himself before the flash further stuns him as it goes off in his face.

"Hi." Harry says. "They said you'd be late."

They. Niall thinks of Louis and Zayn flanking either side of him the moment he'd entered, the way Louis had greeted him with a, "Your boy's been looking for you," instead of a proper hello. How Zayn had smirked and stayed silent, watching Niall with a calculating stare, daring him to say any form of "Harry's not my--" He's felt the punch in the arm that follows too many times to test it again.

"Yeah." Niall stands there awkwardly for a brief moment, swinging his arms, glancing over both shoulders for anal fear of being watched. No one's paying attention to him and he's an idiot. Five minutes ago, just outside of Zayn and Louis' door, he promised himself he would stop that, so he slides down the wall beside Harry and says, "I had to work," ignoring the way they both instinctively lean into each others bodies for unnecessary support or seeking out unnecessary warmth. It's about a million degrees in the apartment. Neither Zayn nor Louis gave fuck all about adjusting to the weather outside. The way they live and the fact that it's together has often been the subject of many of Liam's worried frowns and attempts at interventions.

Niall reaches over and snatches the developed picture out of the camera, ignoring Harry's signature affronted hey! and shushing him with what he hopes isn't an endeared look. "You're a menace. How many unsuspecting party goers have you gotten with that thing." He stares down at his goofy mug and shakes his head, "Needs to be burned."

Harry snatches the photo right back and observes it, considering, a slight smile on his face. "You're cute, look at those blues," He says, nudging Niall's shoulder and Niall quite deliberately does not react, "I've gotten everyone. So don't think you're special or anything."

"You scrapbooking again?"

Harry shakes his head, "Documenting." He corrects.

Because that's totally different, Niall thinks, watching Harry lean over to set the picture in the pile on top of an end table. His movement just barely raises his shirt and Niall is blessed with the sight of the skin between the end of his shirt and his belt.

Niall has never been so completely irritated. Acting like a damn Victorian.

"Where are you working now, Niall?"

Niall turns his head just as Harry settles back beside him, and shrugs. "Bookstore." He answers, tugging on the hem of his shirt. "If the obnoxious book pun on my bright pink shirt didn't give it away."

Harry's laugh is the dumbest thing that Niall has ever heard and yet it's all he wants to hear ever again. "That's an awfully banal job for someone like you?"

When Niall only raises an eyebrow, not sure if he should be offended or not, Harry says, "I mean -- I'd like to think I know you're not someone who should be restocking blue books and pencils. More like someone who--I don't know, coaches a kids sports team. You have a good, like. Mind thing. Very patient."

Niall blinks at him and starts to bite his nail. "Um. Yeah. Dunno got offered the job about two weeks back and I haven't even thought about whether I like it to be honest. I mean--it's money." Niall admits. "I assume you're now working in some offensive trendy off campus shop that sales headdresses and incense."

"Hey, now." Harry frowns, mock offended. "Is that your impression of me, Niall Horan? After all the times we've had! Am I just another trendy wannabe to you?"

"Oh most definitely." Niall teases and enjoys the way Harry gasps, the way it definitely draws attention to his mouth, and even the soreness in his arm when Harry punches him.

When he settles, though, Niall says, "But seriously. Do you even work?"

"Yes, thank you. I'm a paid intern for the radio station."

"Ah." Niall says, "you are one of those trendy wannabes."

"And you're a dick." Harry retorts, and Niall chuckles as he stops Harry from punching him again, wrapping his hand around Harry's fists, albeit with struggle--Harry's hands were massive. Niall can't think about that right now.

"I'm joking. It's what you've always wanted, Haz. That's really cool. I swear."

"It's very cool." Harry says. "I actually get paid for delivering coffees and messing about around the studio. That's my job."

"You ever been on air?"

"A few times. But only when I'm being poked fun at."

"Doesn't sound very nice."

"It's brilliant."

When Harry is distracted by a commotion from across the room, Niall seizes the camera from Harry's loose grip and snaps a photo just as he begins to smile.

"Hey," Harry snaps back to attention, "no fair."

It only takes a moment to realize that Harry is past buzzed, so much in fact that Niall is sure that he won't actually remember half of what he's been saying the entire time. Niall's actually impressed at how long Harry unintentionally had him fooled.

He's about to tease him for it, something about forgetting all the moments they shared, especially the kiss, d'you remember that? but suddenly Liam is there, picking Harry up and throwing him over his shoulder because his mixologist services were requested in the kitchen.

Niall watches a bit too fondly, Harry shouting half heartedly to be put down, and he can't exactly blame the grin on his face on alcohol he hasn't consumed.

He startles when Harry points at him from Liam's back and says, faux threateningly, "You better not go anywhere!"

And Niall must have lost his damn mind because he blows him a kiss and almost instantly regrets it.

Harry, though. Harry Styles, this long limbed idiot who Niall may or may not be in love with, flails his hand in the air and pretends to struggle to catch it.


End file.
